I'm Sorry

[vintagemother]

About last night...

I just remembered a patient asked me for coffee. It was about 0600, and I promptly started a fresh pot for him.

I hope that he doesn't think that I forgot about him.

I did start the pot. Then a pt had an episode of hypoglycemia and another patients radiology report came back with a critical finding. Next, a patient began coughing up blood. Then there was a code blue on our floor.

I just remembered the patients coffee was never given by me. I hope he understands.

/Thoughts of a med-surg nurse/

[purplegal]

There's a good chance that someone else gave that patient coffee eventually and he doesn't even remember that you were supposed to get it to him.

[RNNPICU, BSN, RN]

Sorry you had such a rough shift. It is sometimes the small requests that patients ask for that are small, but get cast aside because of more pressing matters. It sounds like you had a very busy shift.

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

You sound very kind, VM.

I had that type of shift last night.

Except it was with an ice cream sandwich.

And the patient kept ringing that call bell ...

And I couldn't get that sandwich fast enough for him ...

So he started hollering every 2 minutes, "I want that sandwich!!!!!"

And I practically sent that sandwich sailing in the air toward his versacare ....

VM: kind and compassionate

Pixierose: ready to bolt out the door

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

**Stuff** happens. You would have interacted with your patient after the ** stuff* hit the fan. He either got over it, or your designee provided the coffee. I always went back to my patient and explained... why I did not bring coffee, an extra blanket, or a magazine. Any rational patient understood.

The fact is.. we are stretched so thin... we cannot provide the comforts we would like to.

[abbnurse]

Davey Do said:

From reading vintagemother's posts, I also get a sense that she is a sensitive and caring professional.

I couldn't agree more. ?

[djh123]

Kind of reminds me of a resident I had who, when I forgot a PRN pain med she'd asked me for - ONE time, keep in mind, out of many times with her - she turned it into "Every time! You forget!". Augh. And of course, as with the OP, it's not like I was twiddling my thumbs in the hall while I 'forgot' - who knows what-all else was going on at the time.

(And I'm not saying it's ok to ever forget a pain pill - it was just her turning one time into 'Every Time!' that got me).

[Davey Do]

Lay people often don't realize that medical professionals respond better when situations are put into terms with which we can objectively identify.

Example- Lay person:

pixierose said:

"I want that sandwich!!!!!"

Medical Professional:

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

Thank you all for your kind and supportive comments. ((hugs))

I know, in my rational mind, that the coffee was very low on the priority list. However, I have seen patients get upset when they don't receive things that they want (not need), right away.

And I truly completely forgot about his coffee until many hours after my shift ended.

I feel that the little things can cause a patient to feel better...I recall my last shift on my rotation the week before...the last thing I did was to make coffee, as well. In that situation, it was mid afternoon and the spouse was preparing to bring the patient home to basically provide end of life care.

That man loved his spouse so much and was so excited to bring the patient home and his love for his spouse was amazingly beautiful, but I don't think he understood the amount of care the patient would require at home. But his steadfast determination to try was admirable, to me. Sometimes, little things, like a cup of coffee, I think, can help a person feel better.

My original post was a way for me to express just some of my jumbled thoughts after an emotionally intense shift.

The coffee was the least important thing. I'd spoke with my manager and coworkers involved in the situations already. However, I suddenly remembered the coffee, much, much later.

PS Patient satisfaction scores are very important at my hospital, there's a huge emphasis on customer service.

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

Davey Do said:

From reading vintagemother's posts...

But a lousy waitress.

I just snort-laughed out loud!

I'm really working on my waitressing skills!! Cause, yeah, they suck!

[JKL33]

vintagemother said:

However, I suddenly remembered the coffee, much, much later.

This being the part that (it seems like) patients would never imagine - that while we occasionally forget someone's coffee or simply can't get to it in a timely manner, we just might remember things like this while going about our own lives. So that they were not as "out of sight, out of mind" as they might imagine.

[Amethya]

LOL I remember having to give coffee to my patients and forgetting sometimes, because my attention was focused on something else. You would think they would understand... but nope. I would get reported all the time. :/

And I was a waitress before and I was a good darn one too boot.

[Farawyn]

You sound very kind, VM.

I had that type of shift last night.

Except it was with an ice cream sandwich.

And the patient kept ringing that call bell ...

And I couldn't get that sandwich fast enough for him ...

So he started hollering every 2 minutes, "I wannnnnnnnnnttttttttt thatttttttttt sanndddddddwichhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!"

And I practically sent that sandwich sailing in the air toward his versacare ....

VM: kind and compassionate

Pixierose: ready to bolt out the door

Where's mine?